Meantime Reuben, having repapered the parlour and given a new coat of whitewash2 to the best bedroom ceiling, discussed settlements with old Lardner. These did not turn out as large as he had hoped—the old man was close, and attempts on his generosity3 only resulted[Pg 257] in embarrassing doubts as to the disinterestedness4 of his son-in-law's affections. Reuben comforted himself with the thought that Lardner most certainly had a cancer.
At the wedding Rose fairly dazed the onlookers5. She wore a dress of heavy white satin, with a white lace veil—and a bustle6. It was the first bustle that had ever been seen in Peasmarsh, or even in Rye. In itself it was devastating7 enough, but it soon acquired a prophetic and metaphorical8 significance which made it even more impressive. Spectators saw in it the forecast of Odiam's downfall—"He can't stand that," said Brazier, the new man at Totease, "she's a Jezebubble."—"Only it ?un't her head as she's tired this time," said Ticehurst.—"She shud have worn it in front of her, and then we shud have bin9 interested," said Cooper of Kitchenhour.
Alice Jury and her father were in church. Reuben saw them as he marched up the aisle10 with an enormous flower in his buttonhole, accompanied by Ginner of Socknersh as his best man. It struck him that she looked more pretty and animated11 than usual, in a woolly red dress and a little fur cap under which her eyes were bright as a robin's. Even then he felt a little offended and perplexed12 by her behaviour—she should have drooped13—it would have been more becoming if she had drooped.
The remnants of his family were in a front pew—Pete with an elaborately curled forelock, Jemmy casting the scent14 of cheap hair oil into the prevalent miasma15 of camphor and moth-killer, and between the two boys, Caro in an unbecoming hat which she wore at a wrong angle, while her dark restless eyes devoured16 Rose's creamy smartness, from her satin shoes to the wave of curling-irons in her hair. Harry17 had been left at home—he was in an impossible mood, tormented18 by some dark current of memory, wandering from room to room[Pg 258] as he muttered—"Another wedding—another wedding—we're always having weddings in this house."
After the ceremony nearly a hundred guests were fed at Starvecrow. All the most important farmers of the neighbourhood were there, except of course Realf of Grandturzel. Rose was like her name-flower, flushed and scented19. Very different from his earlier bride, she sat beside Reuben with head erect20 and smiling lips—she drank with everyone, and the wine deepened the colour of her cheeks and made her eyes like stars. She talked, she laughed, she ate, she was so happy that her glances, full of bold languor21, swept round the table, resting on all present as well as the chosen man—she was a gay wife.
Dancing at weddings was dying out as a local fashion, so when the breakfast was over the guests melted away, having eaten and drunk themselves into a desire for sleep. Reuben's family went home. He and Rose lingered a little with her uncle, then as the January night came crisping into the sky and fields, he drove her to Odiam in his gig, as long ago he had driven Naomi. She leaned against his shoulder, for he wanted both hands for his horse, and her hair tickled22 his neck. She was silent for about the first time that day, and as eager for the kisses he could give her while he drove as Naomi had been shy of them. Above in the cold black sky a hundred pricks23 of fire shuddered24 like sparks—the lump of Boarzell was blocked against a powder of stars.
At Odiam Rose shook off her seriousness. Supper was ready, and undaunted by the huge meal she had already eaten, she sat down to it with a hearty25 appetite. Her step-children stared at her curiously—Rose had a gust26 of affection for them. Poor things!—their lives had been so crude and dull and innocent. She must give them a little brightness now, soften27 the yoke28 of Reuben's tyranny—that girl Caro, for instance, she must[Pg 259] give her some pretty clothes and show her how to arrange her hair becomingly.
Supper was a very gay meal—the gayest there had ever been at Odiam. Rose laughed and talked, as at Starvecrow, and soon her husband and the boys were laughing with her. Some of the things she said were rather daring, and Caro had only a dim idea of what she meant, but Rose's eyes rolling mischievously29 under the long lashes30, and the tip of her tongue showing between her lips, gave her words a devilish bite even if only half understood. Somehow the whole atmosphere of the Odiam kitchen was changed—it was like the lifting of a curtain, the glimpsing of a life where all was gay, where love and ambition and all solemn things were the stuff of laughter.
The boys beat the handles of their knives on the table and rolled in their chairs with wide-open mouths as if they would burst; Reuben leaned back with a great pride and softening31 in his eyes, round which many hard lines had traced themselves of late; Caro's lips were parted and she seemed half enchanted32, half bewildered by the other woman's careless merriment. Only Harry took no interest and looked dissatisfied—"Another wedding," he mumbled33 as he dribbled34 his food unnoticed over the cloth—"we're always having weddings in this house."
It was strange that during this gay meal the strongest link was forged between Rose and Caro. Two natures more utterly35 unlike it would be hard to find—Caro's starved ignorance of love and aged36 familiarity with dustier matters made her the antithesis37 of Rose, a child in all things save those of the affections; but the two women's hearts met in their laughter. It was Rose who invited, Caro who responded, for Rose in spite of her years and inexperience had the one advantage which made her the older of the two. She was drawn38 to Caro partly from essential kindness, partly because she [Pg 260]appreciated the luxury of pitying her—Caro responded with all the shy devotion of a warped39 nature going out towards one who enjoys that for which it unconsciously pines. Rose's beauty, jollity, and happiness made her a goddess to the less fortunate girl.
After supper Rose turned towards her.
"Will you come up and help me unpack40?"
Caro flushed with pleasure—a light had kindled41 in her grey life, and she found herself looking forward to days of basking42.
They went up together to the huge low-raftered bedroom, which struck horribly cold.
"Ugh!" said Rose—"no fire!"
"But it's a bedroom."
"That's no reason for not having a fire. I shall freeze. Let's have the servant up to light one."
"Oh, no. I'll light it; Mary's busy clearing the table. But I reckon as f?ather w?an't be pleased."
"I'll make him pleased. You leave father to me for the future."
Caro fetched some wood and turf and laid the fire, to which Rose applied43 a match, feeling that by this she had done her share of the work. Then they began to unpack. There were two trunks full of clothes, and Rose complicated matters by refusing to take things out as they came but diving after various articles she particularly wanted.
"I want my blue negleegy—I must show you my blue negleegy," she panted, up to her elbows in underlinen.
"Oh, here it is! what do you think of it?"
"It's silk!" said Caro in a hoarse44 whisper.
"Of course it is—and the very best silk too. I'll put it on. Please undo45 my dress."
Caro helped her off with her wedding-dress, and after having recovered her breath, which she lost completely at the sight of the lace on her chemise, she helped her arrange the "negleegy," and watched her open-mouthed[Pg 261] as she posed in it before the fragment of looking-glass.
"Isn't it chick?" said Rose, "I got it in Hastings—they say it is copied from a Paris model. Now let's go on with the unpacking46."
They went on—that is to say Rose leaned back in her chair and directed Caro as she took the things out of the trunks. The girl was fairly bewildered by what she saw—the laced chemises, the flounced petticoats, the dainty nightgowns with transparent47 necks. "But you'll show through," she said in tones of horror as she displayed one of these, and could not understand why Rose rolled in her chair with laughter.
There were little pots of cream and bottles of hair-lotion, there were ebony-backed brushes, patent leather shoes, kid gloves, all sorts of marvels48 which Caro had seen nowhere but in shops. As she unpacked49 she felt a kind of soreness in her heart. Why should Rose have all these beautiful things, these laces, these perfumes, these silks and ribbons, while Caro wore nothing but stuff and calico or smelt50 of anything sweeter than milk? As she glanced at Rose, leaning back in the most comfortable chair to be found in that uncomfortable room—the firelight dancing on the silken ripples51 of her gown, her neck and arms gleaming through clouds of lace—the soreness woke into a pain. Rose had something more even than silks and laces. She had love. It was love that made her hold her chin so proudly, it was love that made her cheeks flush and her eyes glow. And no one had ever loved Caro—she had never heard a man's voice in tenderness, or felt even so much as a man's hand fondle hers....
"Caro, would you mind brushing my hair?"
Rose was taking out the pins, and curls and tendrils of hair began to fall on her shoulders. Caro took the brush, and swept it over the soft mass, gleaming like spun52 glass. A subtle perfume rose from it, the rub of[Pg 262] it on her hand was like silk. Rose's eyes closed as the brush stroked her, and her lips parted slowly into a smile.
Then suddenly, without warning, all this love and happiness and possession became too much for Caro—she dropped the brush and the scented hair, and burst into passionate53 tears.
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收听单词发音
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1
exclusion
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| n.拒绝，排除，排斥，远足，远途旅行 | |
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whitewash
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| v.粉刷，掩饰；n.石灰水，粉刷，掩饰 | |
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generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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disinterestedness
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onlookers
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| n.旁观者，观看者( onlooker的名词复数 ) | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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7
devastating
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| adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的 | |
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metaphorical
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| a.隐喻的，比喻的 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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perplexed
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| adj.不知所措的 | |
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drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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miasma
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| n.毒气；不良气氛 | |
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16
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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18
tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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20
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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21
languor
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| n.无精力，倦怠 | |
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22
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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pricks
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| 刺痛( prick的名词复数 )； 刺孔； 刺痕； 植物的刺 | |
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24
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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25
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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27
soften
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| v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和 | |
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yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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mischievously
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| adv.有害地；淘气地 | |
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30
lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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31
softening
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| 变软，软化 | |
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32
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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33
mumbled
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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34
dribbled
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| v.流口水( dribble的过去式和过去分词 )；（使液体）滴下或作细流；运球，带球 | |
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35
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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aged
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| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
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antithesis
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| n.对立；相对 | |
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38
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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39
warped
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| adj.反常的；乖戾的；（变）弯曲的；变形的v.弄弯，变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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40
unpack
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| vt.打开包裹（或行李），卸货 | |
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41
kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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42
basking
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| v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的现在分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽 | |
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43
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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44
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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45
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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46
unpacking
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| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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47
transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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48
marvels
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| n.奇迹( marvel的名词复数 )；令人惊奇的事物（或事例）；不平凡的成果；成就v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的第三人称单数 ) | |
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49
unpacked
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| v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的过去式和过去分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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50
smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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51
ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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52
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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53
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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